1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to golf practice devices, and more specifically to such devices employing a tee from which a golf ball is driven toward a backstop, the backstop bearing indicia from which performance of a practicing golfer may be determined.
2. Description Of The Related Art
Professional and amateur golfers alike agree that mastery of the game of golf requires diligent practice of one's swing, preferably accompanied by competent instruction. Unfortunately, during normal practice and play professional analysis of one's technique and appropriate remedial guidance is often unavailable. Further, since golf is an outdoor game, foul weather and darkness sometimes limit the hours one may practice.
To address golfers' needs for quality practice time, and practice unhindered by the elements, various golf simulation devices have been devised. Many constitute little more than a game reminiscent of golf and fail to provide constructive feedback on the player's technique other than some indication of the accuracy of a shot. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,033 to Hendry discloses a tiltable target that catches golf balls from various angles of trajectory; U.S. Pat. No. 3,601,406 to Guisti employs a self-adhering practice ball which is driven toward a fabric target; and, U.S. Pat. No. 3,558,140 to Romeo shows a fabric target having slits therein through which a golf ball may pass when hit accurately.
Another class of devices does allow one to conduct some self-analysis of one's swing, thereby permitting enjoyment of the feedback on technique normally received during personal instruction. Examples of such devices include that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,311,377 to Holbus wherein a marker is affixed to a golf club to trace one's swing path, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,684,293 to Brooks which discloses a netted cage with rebound strips on its back wall and ceiling from which the velocity and spin of an impacting golf ball may be estimated. However, such devices fail to offer the practicing golfer the ability to execute a full power swing, and thereafter to calculate with some precision the accuracy and spin of the shot, from temporary marks susceptible to simple analysis.
There also exists a type of practice apparatus mainly comprised of walls and a ceiling of netting completely surrounding a practicing golfer. Some indicia from which a golfer may calculate accuracy of a full power swing at a conventional golf ball may also be included. However, such setups require considerable investments for netting material and floor space. Further, calculation of the spin on a ball is made very difficult.
As disclosed in my previous U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,392 for a "Practice Ball For Golfers," a full golf swing may often be better practiced by driving an energy absorbing, deformable, powder-carrying practice ball against a vertical planar target. This is an apparatus requiring much less space than many other golf swing practice devices, although it fails to permit very accurate analysis of the results of one's technique.